Bill Nimbert
Bill Nimbert is a male human NPC in the Om campaign. Summary Bill Nimbert was the cook on the Morning Star when she was captured at Socortia by pirates under the command of Silas Thatcher. He was rescued by the Royal Explorers and later made the de facto first mate, and later captain of, the Sea Bitch. History Bill had been a sailor for much of his life, and fell into piracy at some point. He later got out of piracy, turning more to legitimate sailing for reasons unknown and eventually ending up as the cook on the Morning Star under the command of Captain Christoff Fontaine. In the summer of 465 when the ship sailed across the Trackless Sea to Elira carrying cargo, colonists and the Royal Explorers to the new world. The voyage proved to be a harsh one. An merchant named Braxton Wilk proved to be an Orlesean spy and had smuggled a vampire onto the ship, and it caused the death of some crewmen before it was slain by the Royal Explorers. Captain Fontaine grew increasingly paranoid and obsessed with discipline, causing further unrest among the crew. Eventually First Mate Clint Connery led a mutiny, backed by the Royal Explorers. Fontaine and most of his officers were marooned at sea. Unfortunately that was not the end of the ship's troubles and days later a horrible storm struck, crippling the Morning Star. The ship's cleric, Yalrick, vanished during the storm and some whispered that he caused the storm and somehow fled. The Morning Star limped it's way to the island of Socortia. Captured "Captain" Connery ordered a landing party to go to Socortia to scout the area for means to effect repairs on the Morning Star. ''The Royal Explorers went ashore, but shortly after they did the ''Morning Star was attacked by two pirate ships under the command of Silas Thatcher. With the ship crippled, Connery was forced to surrender. The Morning Star was towed to the port of Darsah, which was fuly under command of the pirates. The crew, Bill included, was imprisoned in a large cell in the town, alongside crew and passengers from the Sea Horse and the Derry Boy, two other ships captured by the pirates. Bill and the crew of the Morning Star did not have to wait long. After only a few days the Royal Explorers, aided by Wu Xen (a passenger on the Derry Boy who had eluded capture) and Jubal (a local native who opposed the pirates), freed the crew and passengers of all three ships and led them to the docks. En Route they slew a pirate captain known as "Blackbeard" and several of his men. Once at the docks the Royal Explorers and the crews and passengers commandeered the pirate flagship, the Scourge, from "Bloody" Anne Adler. Bill participated in both skirmishes. Once the Scourge was underway the Royal Explorers assumed a leadership role and Noel Gorehammer, the only one of them with sailing experience, assumed the role of captain. He named Bill as the de facto First Mate of the combined crews. As First Mate of the Scourge Jubal and the prisoners from the Derry Boy and Sea Horse explained that not all of the captured were held in Darsah. Many of the prisoners were sent to the emerald mines the pirates controlled to perform forced labor alongside enslaved native Umani people. Jubal explained that the Umani were suffering a civil war at the moment. Their king had recently died and control of the tribes was split between Queen Aziza, the late king's daughter, and her cousin Akembe who had forged an alliance with Silas Thatcher and the pirates to try to seize control. Based on the papers found in the captains quarters it was clear that the Pirates were forging an alliance with the Orleseans. The Royal Explorers decided to have Jubal take them to Aziza to discuss a possible alliance with Gildorn. At Jubal's suggestion the Scourge sailed around to the north side of Socortia to drop anchor so the Royal Explorers could go ashore to treat with Queen Aziza. Noel left Bill in command and ordered him to effect repairs to the best of the crew's ability. Bill warned that they lacked sufficient trained sailors for a ship of the Scourge's size, but that he would do his best. Battle with ''La Flèche'' After 4 days Leandra, Jasper and Fynn returned to the Scourge. ''They explained that the others were mounting a rescue operation to free those who had been enslaved in the emerald mines, but that in the meantime they were to masquerade as Silas Thatcher and "Bloody" Anne Adler and rendezvous with the Orlesean ship ''La Flèche to try to ruin the potential alliance between the Orleseans and the pirates. Bill had done his best to effect repairs and declared the ship seaworthy, but he cautioned that they were undermanned and that the sailors present would have to perform double shifts in order to properly sail the ship. Jasper advised him that they were not sailing far. The following day, on the 27th of Dragon, 465, the Scourge rendezvoused with La Flèche. ''Jasper pretended to be Silas Thatcher and Leandra pretended to be "Bloody" Anne Adler for the ruse. The Orlesean diplomatic envoy, Luic Dargent, Marquis de Provonce, and his assistant Jean-Paul came aboard along with a contingent of Orlesean marines. While the "pirate leaders" and the marquis and his assistant met below decks, Bill ordered the crew to receive the Orlesean marines and to be liberal with the grog in an effort to get them drunk, just in case hostilities erupted. The ruse ultimately failed, however, and after a short meeting the Orlesean delegation returned to their ship and immediately attacked the ''Scourge. During the fight Fynn traded spells with a blue robed wizard from the Orlesean ship, Lord Balamer “the Blue." Through a a fair amount of dumb luck, they were able to severely damage La Flèche, forcing it to withdraw. In spite of the victory, the Scourge was also damaged, and sailed back to Socortia to lay anchor and effect repairs. Bill was again left in command while Leandra, Jasper and Fynn went ashore to meet up with the rest of the Royal Explorers. Sailing for Elira The Royal Explorers returned on the 28th of Dragon, with the reset of the crews and passengers for the Sea Horse and the Derry Boy with them. With this new influx of manpower, the Scourge now had more than enough hands. The Royal Explorers were being viewed, essentially, as the owners of the ship and they decided to officially name Noel the captain, and to change her name to the Sea Bitch. One of Noel's first acts as captain was to name Bill as the First Mate. During the journey there was some grumbling among the crew of the Morning Star that Clint Connery, who had been imprisoned in the home of Silas Thatcher rather than installed in a jail cell, had not been rescued. Noel and Wu Xen discussed the matter with Bill, who moved to protect his men by stating that he'd heard none of the grumbling. Noel took offense to this, feeling he was being lied to, but Wu was able to smooth the situation over and all agreed that the voyage to the New World had already suffered enough problems and did not need any more. Bill agreed, and was mollified when Noel and Wu explained that they'd not rescued Clint both because it would have risked the rescue of everyone else, and also because they knew the pirates tended to ransom officers, and so believed Clint would ultimately be well treated and freed. Bill agreed to ensure that the crew was aware of this, though still denied that there was grumblings on the matter. Bill was also called upon to help Wu interview the sailors from the Orlesean Sea Horse who had joined the crew of the Sea Bitch. Wu wished to ensure that the men did not find any objection to the fact that they were working for the Gildornians, and wished to ensure that there would be no sabotage due to national loyalties. Bill and Wu conducted a series of interviews and ultimately concluded that though most of the crew of the Sea Horse had been born in Orlesea, they viewed the sea as their real home. On the 21st of Father, during the voyage, the ship came upon a mermaid beseeching the crew for help. Wu, Fern and Jasper went underwater to assist the mermaid in her effort to rescue her trapped lover, and in return they were given several bars of sliver from a shipwreck. The Royal Explorers declared that the silver should be divided up among the crew, which helped to boost morale and secure the loyalty. It fell to Bill to handle the logistics of dispersing the bonus to the crew. Arrival in Waymere The Sea Bitch reached New Gildorn on the 28th of Father, 465. They were met by a trio of Gildornian vessels commanded by Commodore James Upton. Captain Noel went aboard Upton's flagship, the Thunderer, ''and returned a short time later with some Gildornian Naval officer stating they would take temporary command to navigate the ship into harbor. The ''Sea Bitch was taken into port and repaired of all her battle damage. After only one day in port, the Sea Bitch was attacked by a group of elven Wild Runners. Bill led the defense of the ship, though he was kidnapped by their leader and taken to the Mowett Whaling Factory, where the elves proceeded to take several of the factory workers hostage as well. The leader of the group dragged Bill, with a dagger to his throat, atop the tallest building in the factory and began shouting demands. The city watch, despite being slowed by Wild Runner attacks in other parts of the city, arrived promptly, but were held at bay by the threats upon the hostages. In short order the Royal Explorers arrived as well and Jasper Conroy, flying under the power of his divine magic, flew to the roof despite the elf's warnings that he would kill Bill if he came any closer. True to his word, when Jasper tried to cast a spell, the elf slit Bill's throat and shoved him off the roof. Bill lay dying, unable to staunch the bleeding in his throat, but thankfully Wu Xen was able to reach him in time and administer a healing potion that saved his life. Fynn and Fern had destroyed part of the wall around the factory, in the meantime, and Bill escaped the battle through their breech. In Command of the Sea Bitch The Royal Explorers retained ownership of the Sea Bitch, though temporarily loaned it to the Gildornian Crown to assist in naval operations though they seem to have stipulated that Bill remain in command of the vessel. Bill set to recruiting sailors, as some had left the ship's service upon the arrival in Waymere, and overseeing the repairs. The Battle of Socortia In the autumn of 465, Commodore James Upton readied a fleet of ships to sail to Socortia and secure an alliance with Queen Aziza and purge it from any Orleslain and pirate presence. The Sea Bitch was added to the squadron, with Bill in command. The Gildornian fleet caught the Orlesean and pirate fleets in port and unawares. After the Tiger ferried a landing party including Ambassador Jubal, Leandra, and Mordecai the Mighty to the island to secure the alliance with Queen Aziza, the Gildornians attacked in force. The Sea Bitch engaged an Orlesean ship Imperial, ''a far more powerful ship of the line, long enough for reinforcements to come up and capture her. The ''Sea Bitch also engaged the Orlesean corvette Vigilance, sinking her. The crew of the Sea Bitch behaved beautifully and Bill was praised for leading the ship well in the battle. Return to Waymere Bill commanded the Sea Bitch, though she was damaged in the battle, returned to Waymere with a portion of the fleet under the command of Captain Cromwell. She delivered supplies and prisoners captured in the Battle of Socortia to Waymere, undertook repairs and stayed in port only short time before heading out again with new sullies to provision the rest of the fleet and soldiers now stationed at Socortia. Within a fortnight of reaching Socortia and offloading supplies the Dart arrived, bringing orders from Waymere. The Sea Bitch, alongside the Staunch, ''and the ''Tiger were ordered to return to Waymere, as most of the fleet still there would be departing to blockade Dead Man's Cove in an effort to apprehend "Bloody" Anne Adler. Category:Om Category:Characters Category:NPCs